Weatherstrip construction



Oct. 20, 1953 J. CHALIK ET AL WEATHERSTRIP CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 5, 1951 Patented Oct. 20, 1953 WEATHERSTRIP CONSTRUCTION John Chalik, La Porte, Ind., and Peter G. Torosian, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 3, 1951, Serial No. 249,474

Our invention is directed to an improved Weatherstrip construction and relates particularly to such a construction which is to be configurated to irregular contours by curving the same therearound.

Although various Weatherstrip constructions have been suggested heretofore in the art, the construction which has enjoyed almost exclusive use in the automobile industry involves a separably attached bead and fabric wrapping member. The bead is made from suitably resilient and compressible material and is wrapped by a fabric which is stitched together at one side of the bead so as to form a radially extending flange-like member which may be secured in position by use of tacking strips, clip buttons, adhesive or other fasteners.

In the foregoing construction the bead member may be bent to conform to various desired contours and the flange-like portion may then be tacked or clipped in place to maintain the particular configurated position of the bead. The securing operation is, however, an additional step which leaves something to be desired from a commercial point of view in a Weatherstripping procedure.

It is an important object of our invention to provide a Weatherstripping construction which may be suitably secured in place without the use of tacking or clipping operations heretofore employed.

It is another object of our invention to provide a Weatherstripping construction such that may be configurated to conform to irregular contours without undesired distortion thereof.

It is a further object of our invention to provide a Weatherstripping construction involving the use of suitably resilient and compressible material which may be bent without losing its effectiveness as a Weatherstripping material, particularly with regard to distortion thereof caused by lateral expansion of compressed parts.

In the bending of a resilient, compressible material of the above character for the purposes above set forth, one of the difficulties encountered arises from the fact that the inner portion thereof is compressed during the bending action while the outer portion is stretched or elongated. As a result of this action an undesirable weather sealing arrangement may be attained since the compressed inner part at the curve tends also.

to be compressed laterally outside of the normal confines of the side of the Weatherstrip, or alternatively, the bending of the material may cause such extreme compression at the bent portion thereof that the material at that portion is 8 Claims. (CI. 20-69) 2 unable to function suitably weather seal or eatherstrip over that portion of a crack or opening which the Weatherstrip has been bent to conform with. In either case, the result obtained is undesirable.

It is another important object of the present invention to provide an integral Weatherstrip comprising a bead and a base strip joined together by a web in such a manner as to avoid the above mentioned difficulties.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved Weatherstrip construction having an integral body of material characterized by the presence of interstices and yet which is so constructed that moisture and the like cannot penetrate such interstices, thus to enhance the deterioration thereof.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an improved Weatherstrip construction, made from resilient and compressible material, which may be formed in elongated strips that may be bent so that the part thereof, which is normally compressed during the bending operation, will undergo substantially longitudinal compression, without expanding laterally thereof to an appreciable extent and without compressing longitudinally to so great an extent that the Weatherstrip fails to function suitably.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a Weatherstrip construction comprising an integral bead-web-and-base strip assembly having a uniform composition throughout, and made from a resilient and compressible material.

In accordance with the general features of our invention there is provided herein an improved weatherstrip construction made from a suitably resilient and compressible material such as sponge rubber or the like that may be cut into an integral elongated form having a bead and a base strip connected by a relatively thin web extending radially of the bead.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings of preferred embodiments thereof, in which:

On the drawings:

Figure 1,is a view in perspective of a form of Weatherstrip construction embodying our invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational partial view of an automobile door post and closed door, taken from the inside of the automobile, showing the weatherstrip construction of the instant invention suitably mounted for use on the door post;

Figure 3 is enlarged sectional plan view taken substantially on the line III-III of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional plan view, showing the position of another preferred Weatherstrip construction of the invention, adapted for use in automobile door and post construction such as those used in convertible automobiles; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of another Weatherstrip construction preferred for use in the invention.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral I indicates generally the Weatherstrip construction'ofFigm'e 1. IZhe Weatherstrip construction I0 constitutes anelongated strip of a suitably resilient. and compressible material, such as sponge rubber. Preferably, the Weatherstrip construction III, which it can be seen constitutes an integral body of sponge rubber material, is extruded or. otherwise prepared in a single process step from a. sponge-rubber material of substantially uniform composition. In other words, the Weatherstrip construction I0 does not require the use of-materials therein of varying or different compressibility at different portions of the Weatherstrip construction I0.

Instead, the desired strength characteristics of the different portions or members of the weatherstrip construction ware-obtained by a certain alteration in the cross-sectional size and shape which will be explained hereinafter in detail.

In general, the Weatherstripconstruction I9 comprises an integral bead-web-and-base strip assembly, wherein there is a generally cylindrically-shaped bead I I, a generally quadrilaterally cross-sectionbase strip Il -extending longitudinally of the bead II and spaced radially therefrom, and aweb I3 integral with .the bead II and the strip I2 and extending therebetween radially from the bead II' to the strip I2. Theweb I3 is relatively thin compared to the bead II and the strip I2.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3,"in a standard automobile a doorpost I4 isvertically mounted on the automobile so that the inside-wall I la thereof forms a part of thecontinuous inside wall of the automobilevand the outside wall'ldb thereof forms a continuous part of the'outside wall of the automobile. .The automobile-door I5 cooperates withthe door post I4 so that its'inside wall I5a cooperates with the door'post insidewall Ida to form a substantiallycontinuous surface portion of the inner wall of the car when the door is closed. The outside door-.wallb: likewise cooperates with the outside-post wall Ilb to form a substantially continuous-portion of the outside wall of the automobile, when the door isclosed. The door I5 also has a window I6. suitably mounted therein.

As best shown in Figure 3, when the door I5 is in closed position, there is an opening. between the contiguous faces I40 and .I5c of the post I4 and the door I5, respectively. It can-be readily appreciated that the opening I6 between the contiguous faces I40 and I50 affords a passageway for wind, rain and the like to enter the automobile, as well as heat to escape therefrom. The instant Weatherstrip construction I0 is designed to effectively Weatherstrip or weather seal the opening I6.

The door post I4 contains a generally rectangularly cross-sectioned groove I! which extends closely adjacent the opening I6 (the contiguous face I40 being therebetween) along the vertical inner wall Me of the door post It to the full yportion heretofore used was suitably secured to the hard rubber in the groove IT by the use of such clips or tacks mounted in a flange-like stitched seam extending radially from the bead to the hard rubber material in the groove II. Covered rag board members I9 and 20 were suitably mounted on the inner post Wall I la and the inner door wall I5a respectively. Ordinarily, the

post rag board member I9 was employed to cover or conceal the clips or tacks used to secure the stitched fabric flange portion to the hard rubber in the groove I1.

I ia and In the use of the instant Weatherstrip construction It, as shown in Figure 3, the base strip I2'is placed in the groove I! so that the web I3 extends in the direction of the door I5 and may or may not overlie at least partially the opening IS. The bead I I mounted as it is on the web I3 thus overlies the portion of the inner door-wall that is adjacent the opening I6 andthe. bead H is resiliently urgedby the web I3 against-the inner door wall I rla, so as to effectively weather seal the opening I6.

. It can thus be seen that theinstant weatherstrip construction It is adapted to weather seal the opening IE between the contiguous faces I40 and I50 of a' door post I4 and the closed door I5, respectively, in anautomobile at the inside continuous surface formed by the inner post wall Ida and the inner door'wall I5a. The weatherstrip construction I 0 comprises an integral beadweb-and-base strip assembly made of aresilient 'zna-tm'ial of substantially uniform composition and compressibility, the base strip I2 being adapted to securely mount the Weatherstrip on the door post I4 (in the groove I1 therein)- adjacent the opening I6 and is substantially flush with the continuous surfaceof the inner walls I5a. The bead II is adapted to be mounted so as to overlie the continuous door surface I502. The web I3 extends radially from the bead I I to the base strip'II so as to complete the weather seal across the opening I6 and,.in addition, so as toresili ent-ly urge the bead I I into contact with'the inner door wall or. surface I511.

The base strip I2 may be mounted in the groove IT in a number of ways, including the ordinarily expedient method, such asthe use ofran adhesive to'cause the base strip I2 to adhere to the inner walls of the groove I1. 1 On the other hand, an additionally advantageous feature of the instant invention resides in the fact that thebase strip I2 is compressible and, as such, the base strip, I2 may be made ap preciably-larger than the groove ll into which it is to fit and then forcedinto the groove so as to obtain an extremely sturdy mounting, particularly when the strip I2 is. clamped into the groove I1 by means of rag board I9. Also, if the base strip 22 is made slightly wider than the groove IT (i. e., the dimension of the strip that extends radially of the bead is increased 'beyond the actual width of the groove IT), a

porarily during assembly, perhaps for the purpose of permitting an adhesive to dry so as to secure the strip more permanently to the walls of the groove ii. It should also be noted that the strip i2 may be readily removed from the groove ll by the use of ordinary prying instruments and/or suitable solvent for the adhesive, should it be necessary to replace a worn out Weatherstripping.

As is shown in Figure 3, the Weatherstrip con struction iii of the instant invention is particularly well adapted to receive and retain a fabric wrapping 21 about the bead H and, preferably, over a portion of the web it. Since it is ordinarily desirable to design automobiles from an ornamental point of view according to a predetermined color scheme, the automobile manufacturer usually prefers to install all of the upholstering. The instant Weatherstrip construction It is particularly suited for that purpose. leretofore, the fabric wrap for the bead was a necessary part of the original weatherstrip construction, since it carried the means whereby the bead was to be secured to the hard rubber base strip. Accordingly, the automobile manufacturer was required to purchase his Weatherstripping construction from a jobber who either might not have the proper color or texture of fabric wrap or might himself be in convenienced by the necessity of maintaining a substantial stock of different types of fabric wrapped Weatherstrip bead.

In contrast, in the instant invention there is a very great advantage as far as the jobber is concerned, in that he need produce only one kind of Weatherstrip construction, and also as far as the automobile manufacturer is concerned in that he has complete freedom in the selection of the particular type of fabric he wishes to use as a wrap for the bead ii. Moreover, the automobile manufacturer is ordinarily in a more advantageous position to apply the fabric wrap to the bead i l, since the application of the wrap 21 and the stitching thereof, at 22, is most suitably done by the upholsterers in the employ of the automobile manufacturer.

It can also be seen that the web It performs the additional useful function of furnishing a relatively thin portion in the Weatherstripping which can be readily penetrated by a stitching needle so as to stitch the fabric wrap to the opposite side of the web [3.

An additional important feature of the instant invention resides in the fact that, since the beadweband-base' strip assembly is an integral sponge rubber body which can be made in a single fabricating step, for example, by extrusion, it is possible to employ fabricating methods such that the outer skin of the Weatherstrip construction if! is a continuous relatively smooth surface. As shown in Figure 5, the continuous relatively smooth skin or surface of the bead 23 and the web 2d of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 5 may be very readily and uniformly coated with flock 25 which may be caused to adhere to the bead 23 and the web it by means of an adhesive at the surfaces thereof, for example, at 26. Recently, the use of flock upholstering has had a great deal of commercial acceptance because of the economic feature thereof. The instant Weatherstripping construction is, of course, particularly suitable to the use of flock upholstering; whereas the fabric wrapped prior art structures were wholly unsuitable therefor.

Referring again to Figure 5, which shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of a bead 23, a web 24 and a base strip 21 integrally formed in accordance with the principles of the instant invention, it can be seen that the base strip 21 has a cross-section in the general form of a parallelogram. In fact, the base strip crosssection is preferably substantially square so as to conform with the general contour of the groove IT. The width w of the strip 21, which is essentially that width necessary to conform with the width of the groove i7, is preferably about one-half inch. The diameter d of the head 23 is, likewise, preferably about one-half inch. The'width s of the web 24, or the space by which the web separates the bead 23 and the strip 2'! is preferably about one-eighth inch.

It can be seen that in the construction of Figure 5 a line may be drawn through the center of the bead 23 which passes substantially through the middle of the web 2d and along one surface 21a of the strip 27. It can thus be seen that the web 24 extends radially from the bead 23 and, preferably, also in substantially the same plane as that of one of the surfaces Zla of the strip When'the strip 2'! is placed in the groove I? and the rag board I9 is placed over the top of the groove H and adjacent the strip surface 27a, the normal position of the bead 23 as urged by the web 24 would be interfered with by the inner door wall (5a when the door I5 is closed. Accordingly, when the door 15 is closed the actual position of the bead 23 is represented in part by the dotted line designated by the reference numeral 28. It is apparent that when the bead 23 is in the position designated by the reference numeral 28, the web 24 tends to urge the bead 23 back to its original position and, therefore, to urge it against the inner door wall l5a.

Another important aspect of the instant invention resides in the fact that the web 2 is so designed that, during the bending of the weatherstrip construction of the invention to for example, at the point designated by the reference numeral I8 in Figure 2, the web 24 collapses completely as the first step in the longitudinal compression of the Weatherstrip construction. In other words, the longitudinal axis of the weatherstrip construction may be considered to extend longitudinally of the bead 23, the web 24, or the strip 21. However, for the purposes of the instant invention, the longitudinal plane of the weatherstrip construction passes through the cross-section of the Weatherstrip construction along a center line N-N, as shown in Figure 5, which passes through the center of the bead, the central portion of the web and along the surface of the strip designated at 27a. The center line N-N extends radially of the bead and, accordingly, compression tending to urge the bead 23 toward the strip 21 is herein designated radial compression. It is apparent that radial compression results from the combination of longitudinal compression of the bead 23 and longitudinal tensioning of the strip 2?, since the instant Weatherstrip construction is so bent during use that the bead 23 is at the inner portion of the curved or bent construction and the strip 2i is at the outer portion of the curved or bent construction. The net result is that the bead 23 and the web 24 assumes substantially the position outlined in the heavy dot-dash line designated by the reference numeral 29 of Figure 5. Referring to the reference numeral 29 it weather seal over the opening completely and that the bead 23 and the strip '21 have been urged substantially into contact.

However, it can also be seen that the bead 23 is resiliently urged by the collapsed web 24 so.

that the bead 23 continues eifectively to form a [6. Moreover, the head 23 does not move laterally any farther than the inner door wall [a pushes the bead 23. It has been found that, in order for the web as to function suitably for the purposes hereinbefore described, the web should be from about 0.2 to about 0.1 of the bead diameter in thickness andshould separate the bead from the strip by from about 2 to about 3 times its thickness. In the preferred structure of the invention wherein the bead diameter is about one-half inch, it has been found that the web thickness is preferably about one-sixteenth of an inch.

Preferably, the web is so designed with respect to the bead and the strip that the web resiliently, but collapsibly, separates the strip and the bead by substantially the decrease in the radial-dimension on the Weatherstrip structure that is effected by bending the Weatherstrip 90 in the plane of the web i. e. in the plane N-N in which the web normally extends radially of the bead. At least, the web is so designed that bending of the Weatherstrip 90 in the plane of the web can be accomplished without causing the bead to be compressed against the strip to such an extent that it fails to close the opening normally present between the contiguous faces of the door post and closed door in an automobile.

Referring to Figure 4, wherein an embodiment of the instant invention is shown suitably mounted for use as a Weatherstrip means in a convertible automobile. As is well known in the convertible automobile construction the customary door post structure extends just up to the lower edge of the car window. Figure 4 shows a plan sectional view of the portion of the door post 39 which extends upwardly above the lower window edge in such a convertible automobile construction. The vertically extending door post 30 consists of a vertically extending substantially square cross-sectioned support post 3| which is positioned adjacent one edge of the window glass 32 and which has mounted thereon clamping members 33 and The clamping members 33 and 34 may be secured to the post ber is comparable to the contiguous face [40 of the door post is of Figure 3, in that the opening, which is to be weather sealed in the structure of Figure will be defined on one side by the flange portion 35. The inner clamping member 33, which may be suitably mounted on the support post by means of spaced screws (not shown). is so positioned that it defines in conjunction with one vertically. extending surface of the support post 3| a groove 36.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 4 the bead 3T cooperates with the web 38 in substantially the same manner as that hereinbefore described. Also, the bead 31 and the web 38 cooperate with .the strip 39 in substantially the same manner as that hereinbefore described. However, the'strip 39 has a generally U-shaped cross-section so that it may be suitably bent on either side of the inner clamping member 33 having one-half of the strip 39 positioned in the groove 36 and the other half positioned on the side of. the clamping member 33 opposite the groove 36. The instant embodiment demonstrates the versatile feature of the instant invention, in that the strip member may be altered to conform with the particular shape or size of the mounting and groove that may be employed, as well as any particular shape that might be desired that does not involve placing the strip member entirely within a groove mounted on a door post.

It can be appreciated that in the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 4, the bead 31,

. the web 38 and the exposed portion of the strip 39 could all be suitably coated, for example, with flock as shown in Figure 5, with a fabric as shown in Figure 3 and with a combination of fabric and flock, if desired. It can also be appreciated that ordinary modification of the embodiment shown, for example, a construction such as that of Figure 3, wherein the fabric is adhered to the bead instead of stitched to the web might be used in the practice of the instant invention.

On the other hand, the embodiment of Figures 3 and 5 are particularly suitable for use in the instant invention, for the reason that each of such embodiments is so designed that the coating or protective material for the bead permits a minimum of distortion thereof during the bending of the Weatherstrip construction. It is, of course, clear that the flock coating mounted as it is on the resilient rubber surl'acewill in no way increase or complicate the forces tending to cause distortion of the bead during bending. It can also be seen that in the structure of Figure 3 the fabric, which is itself non-elastic, is attached fixedly only to the web and, accordingly, a certain amount of slippage is permitted between the bead II and the fabric 2| at sharp bends in the structure.

It can also be appreciated that suitably resilient skin might be applied to the surface of the instant Weatherstrip construction for purposes of ornamentation or additional-protection; however, the use of such resilient skin is not necessary for the essential functional purposes of the construction. Likewise, should additional strength be desired in the instant construction, suitably resilient strengthening fabrics or similar materials might be embedded in the integral sponge rubber body; however, such reinforcing materials must not be of such strength or charactor that they interfere with the critical function of the web.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be otherwise modified through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. As an article of manufacture, a weatherstrip comprising an integral sponge rubber body tioned strip at a corner thereof, said web being from 0.2 to 0.1 of the bead diameter in thickness and separating said bead from said base strip by from 2 to 3 times the web thickness.

2. As an article or" manufacture, a weatherstrip comprising an integral sponge rubber body which comprises a bead, a rectangularly crosssectioned base strip of substantially the same cross-sectional area, and a connecting web therebetween extending radially from said bead to said rectangularly cross-sectioned base strip at a corner thereof, said web separating said bead from said base strip by about one-fifth of the bead thickness.

3. In combination, a vehicle frame having an opening therein, a generally rectangularly crosssectioned groove extending angularly around a corner of said opening in the frame, a weatherstrip including a generally rectangularly crosssectioned base strip disposed completely within said groove, a bead overlying said opening and a thin web extending radially from said bead and connecting said bead with said base strip at one corner of the rectangular cross-section thereof; said bead, said web and said base strip being integrally formed of a resilient compressible material and said web separating said base strip and said bead by substantially the decrease in the radial dimension of said Weatherstrip that is effected by bending the Weatherstrip 90 in the plane in which the web normally extends radially of the bead.

4. In combination, a vehicle frame having an opening therein, means including spaced generally parallel wall members defining a rectangularly cross-sectioned groove extending angularly around a corner of said opening in the vehicle frame, and an integral body of resilient uniformly compressible material consisting of a Weatherstrip bead and a rectangularly cross-sectioned base strip therefor and connected thereto by a relatively thin web extending radially of the bead and from one corner of the rectangular cross-section of the base strip, said base strip being normally slightly wider than the space between said groove walls and being retained between said walls and completely within said groove under compression.

5. In the combination, a door post and a closed door in a vehicle defining an opening between contiguous faces thereof, a generally rectangularly cross-sectioned Weatherstrip retaining groove in said door post closely adjacent said opening, a sponge rubber weather strip comprising a circularly cross-sectioned bead, a quadrilaterally-shaped base strip spaced radially from the bead and snugly and completely fitting in the retaining groove, and a web integral with said head and said base strip and extending radially from said bead to connect with said base strip at the corner at the top of the groove adjacent said opening and so extending a sufiicient distance to permit bending of the Weatherstrip in the plane in which the web normally extends radially of said bead without causing the bead to be compressed against the base strip more than the width of said opening.

6. A combination as claimed in claim 5 wherein said bead is wrapped in a protective fabric.

'7. A combination as claimed in claim 6 wherein said fabric is stitched to said web.

8. A combination as claimed in claim 5 wherein said head and said web are coated with flock.

JOHN CHALIK. PETER G. TOROSIAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 19,416 McCormick Jan. 8, 1935 1,613,044 Marshall Jan. 4, 1927 2,033,436 McCormick Mar. 10, 1936 2,099,912 Travis Nov. 23, 1937 2,347,159 Spraragen Apr. 18, 1944 

